The Who: Ranking Their Albums From Worst To Best

5. The Who Sell Out (1967)

The 60's saw some very varied output from the Who, with this being their idea of concept album. The format is a piece of genius; a broadcast from the fictional pirate radio station 'Radio London'. Unlike some of the other concept albums of this period, this one sticks to the format all the way through complete with some rather wonderful faux commercials ('Heinz Baked Bean's) and cheeky radio jingles. The songs that make up the album also contribute to its success, often being brilliantly written in a fun and tongue-in-cheek way. It kicks off with a rare foray by the Who into psychedelic territory with the surprisingly catchy 'Armenia City in the Sky'. Pete's fun way with humorous lyrics is shown best by 'Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand', with a lovely little melody and some VERY ambiguous lyrics. 'Tattoo' is another favourite, telling the tale of boys becoming men in a very unique way, while 'Our Love Was' and 'Sunrise' are absolutely gorgeous little songs, still vastly under-appreciated today. The album ends with another foray into mini rock opera territory, with 'Rael.' It's a decent enough song, let down by it's beat which is far too reminiscence of a military drill. The most famous and popular song of the album is 'I Can See For Miles.' One of the few that can be listened too outside of the album, it was see by Pete as a surefire hit. Sadly, it failed, although it's difficult to see why as it's a brilliant, brash song and far heavier than anything that had gone before. Best Song: 'I Can See For Miles'